I gave myself 24 hours to contemplate Peter Strickland’s avant-garde horror film, In Fabric, before I started writing this review; It was more out of necessity than desire that I take time to fully process exactly what I had seen.

Unconventional in nearly every way in its voyeuristic fantasies of high fashion combined with overtly sexual fetishes and a hauntingly unforgettable soundtrack, In Fabric is original arthouse horror done right.

In Fabric tells the story about Phantom Thread(s), quite literally, in which a possessed dress ruins the lives of those who wear it. Londoner Shelia (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) is a single mother whose daily routine consists of working at the local bank during the day and caring for her grown son and his unfavorable girlfriend at night. Lonely and romantically unsatisfied, one night Shelia is drawn to the beauty of a red dress that is being advertised “On Sale”. Envisioning the possibilities of how this garment could enrich her life, the next day she heads to the sale section of the Thames Valley Dentley & Soper Department Store. Upon arriving, Shelia is immediately greeted by the witchy-looking Victorian-dressed sales clerk Miss Luckmoore (Fatma Mohamed), who convinces her that the form-fitting, one of a kind, “artery-red” dress is perfect for her. Shelia’s purchase excites her, she looks beautiful in it and begins to anticipate the changes in her life this dress can bring. And she’s right about the life changes, but not in the way she envisioned.

Truly horrific in some moments and starkly humorous in others, it’s impossible to put In Fabric in any box. It is, without a doubt, wholly original and full of artistic experimentation. Still, at times, this feeling of “weird for weird’s sake” led to storyline confusion and unintentional bemoans in certain situations. The film feels very much split into two acts, and for as much as I enjoyed the first half of the film, the second half felt unnecessary. The Final Destination-like situations that came from wearing the dress, including out of control washing machines, supernatural strangulations, and vicious dog attacks, felt fresh and raw in the first Act, but repetitive when it came to the second. Unfortunately, this left an unsatisfying ending to a grippingly powerful start.

There is a sense of consistent eeriness from the soundtrack, and that credit goes to the experimental avant-pop band from Berlin, Cavern of Anti-Matter. Their synth beats pay homage to horror films past, creating an unsettling vintage vibe that adds to the mysterious nature of the film. The performances are stylized as well; and while strong, they all feel very theatrical, rhythmic, and not natural, a style that works for this genre.

Peter Strickland is becoming synonymous with genre-specific European cinema, and In Fabric certainly follows suit. It’s not necessarily consumer-friendly due to its disclaimer of “aberrant behavior,” but if you’re ready to experience one of this year’s most daring visual productions, look no further than In Fabric.

IN FABRIC (2019)

Starring Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Gwendoline Christie, Fatma Mohamed

Directed by Peter Strickland

Written by Peter Strickland

Distributed by A24. 118 minutes.

In theaters December 6 and on-demand December 10.